I ordered MMPs Operations magazine #2 a while ago, to ensure I'll get the PanzerBlitz2 Carentan add-on game while the supplies last. So, with my wife having a Sunday shift, and kids loitering out with their friends, what better to do than pick it up and play a turn or three, while there's time for it!

Ah, an empty table, a cup of coffee, an unpunched game...

Ever since I ordered Avalon Hill's Panzer Leader as my first ever boardgame, in 1983 I believe at ripe age of 17, I have been a fool for Tactical Platoon based games. I never really got into Panzerblitz that much, imagine that, but Panzer Leader and Arab-Israeli Wars saw plenty of action at the time. It is therefore almost a blasphemy to note that once I got back into boardgaming a couple of years ago, after a long hiatus with those old and dear memories still in tact, I felt the old classics are feeling, well, their age.

I did play some MechWarī77 in October War format at the time too, it is funny to note that even then the strict IGOUGO format of the PB/PL franchise was getting a bit dated. MechWar format had neat things such as initiative that we nowadays take for granted, at the same time things like the Panic rule and forced Panic movement could get a bit silly with panicking Arabs wondering the board. Still, an improvement in a way.

I just recently bought PanzerBlitz2, after having shunned it at the time of its original release as I felt I did not like a classic having a new rule set. That was rather silly, as I've lately come to really enjoy the format. It remains a simple game to play, while it has some really neat things such as the Operation Chits format for mini-turn sequences.

All ready, set and go then! This add-on requires some German counters from the original game, as well as all the Disrupted / No move / CAT what not special counters that were not included in the Operations magazine.

I will play the CAR2 situation "Causeway Attack", nicking the JTCS Ode to Panzer Leader scenario description here so I don't need to write this all again:

11 June 1944, Carentan, 25 Km NNW of St. Lo, France:

The US 101st Airborne Division planned on attacking southward across the Douves River, bypassing the town of Carentan, and seizing la Billonerie (Hill 30), thereby cutting off the primary German escape routes. The 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment was selected to lead the attack but was delayed due to repair work on Bridge Number 2. When they finally jumped off, they found Bridge Number 4 blocked by a heavy Belgian gate that could not be dislodged. This further delayed the attack until enough troops could get through the obstacle,one at a time. At 06:15 hours on June 11th, the 502nd jumped off but immediately ran into fierce German resistance. Reinforcements were slow in passing through the still-intact gate on Bridge Number 4. The paratroopers managed to seize a vital farm astride the main road to Carentan as well as some local crossroads. The troopers fought tenaciously with grenade and bayonet to hold the secured ground, with American artillery playing a critical role in breaking the German defenses. At 20:00 hours, patrols discovered that the Germans had fled most of their defensive positions and the town. After a hard day of fighting, the 502nd was beaten and tired. The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment had to be called in to make the final push to take the town of Carentan.

Set-up phase. The set-up is pretty much predefined, so not much that can be done here. US AB units approach from the east, while the German AB units are divided into two, with one Coy in forward positions and the other securing Carentan proper.

I nicked a few Fortress Holland balkenkreutz markers to mark the five Objectives here so they stand out. You will note I forgot to put in the German 88mms at this stage, as I was so much concentrating doing this DAR Ha. But even without them, this will get bloody and soon, too. A very tough situation for the US AB for sure

Chit Pull segment #1. German Op0. This means the chit has an effective range of 0, so it only enables one stack of counters to perform their mini-turn.

I place the chit on top of my forward post in a forest hex on the road towards Carentan, where I have put one IP in place. It is an objective too.

I am playing solo but no worries as the Germans are pretty static here. My German plan is to start causing the US forces step losses asap, making it difficult for them to get anywhere near my positions. Combat Results Table has among other things a range modifier, with range 2-3 having a neutral effect, and other ranges having modifiers be it a positive one for shorter ones, including range 0 modifier for Reaction Fire against Close assaults (foot infantry), Overruns (AFVs), or against the double wham of PanzerBlitz Assault, where an AFV carrying infantry unloads them to perform both of them in the same miniturn.

Having considered the odds, Engineers being within my reach too, I decide to concentrate on the lone point platoon leading the attack. It will be a 3:1 attack with a range modifier of 0 as the range is 2. I roll 4! 2X, meaning a loss of two steps.

This means the chit has a range of 1, so as I place it in the middle of my two stacks, both of them get to act in this mini-turn. First: the same combined stack (of a MG and an AB platoon, forgot to mention that earlier) I operated the previous mini-turn open up on one of the US Eng platoons at range 3. 3:1 with no modifier. I roll 9. No result. Pheew!

Not over yet though, the other stack in the forested hex pulls their weight in giving some covering fire. That particular stack contains two German AB platoons, so I try two separate 10:5 ie. 2:1 attacks on the flanking US AB platoon instead. First attack: 9. No result. Second attack: 5, and a Disruption.

I guess it could have been worse... An ominous start for the 502nd though! With two German Op Chits spent, the US should get a break soon and have consecutive mini-turns as well...

Chit Pull segment #3. US Op0. Now we're talking. But not very loudly, as I get to activate one stack only.

Looking at things, and having two Artillery units Off Map, I decide to play the long game and mark two rear units for a Spotter role and put two Artillery Requests in the map. Each AR requires a spotter (I believe), so that's the two units used. As they are concentrated in liaising with their Arty Btry, they get a No Move marker on top of them.

So here we go then. The same two German AB forward posts open up at the advancing US forces again. I begin with the lower stack first, with two 2:1 attacks again. First roll: 11. No result. Pheew. Second attack: 7. Ouch, a lose a step and flip the Engineers over. Then the upper stack with a MG and an AB rifle, at 3:1 odds again against the reduced Eng platoon. I roll two ones. 4X! They're gone...

This is definitively not looking like a good day for the 502nd... Have I said that before?

First I'll add the Turn#1 US reinforcements. Not much, per scenario description, but they are more than welcome after the heavy casualties they've taken. German Paras are true to their status as Lions Of Carentan here...

As I lost the other Engineer platoon that was performing as the spotter, I roll a die to see which Artillery Request to remove from the map. Northern one it is.

Then, I am not quite sure if the Spotting Engineers may fire, while they may not move. I decide they can (will need to check the rules later), and they fire at the German AB stack at the foreset (+1), in their improved position (+1). 10:9 attack, I roll 11 (duh), so at 1:1 and with +2 two the die roll there's no effect.

Then while writing this post, playing out of memory, I realise I made a mistake and thought the Indirect Fire resolution takes place at the Fire phase as well. It does not, it is only resolved during the Administrative Segment, so once per turn, so things go a bit awry here per rules. Hey ho, the US AB deserved a break, so there we go. Or went, as I am writing this post the fact.

Scatter? I roll 5. No scatter if 7 or lower, all good here. I decide it is my 105mm that is firing (HE strength 15). Each counter is resolved separately at full attack strenght, so I am hopefull something good will happen here.

First, the German AB with defence of 5. 15:5 ie. 3:1 but with +1 for woods and +1 for IP. I roll 4+2 so a 6 it is. One short a step loss, unfortunately, but a DD it is. No disruptions there earlier, so no step losses yet. Next time! Then, the German MG with defence of 4. Same odds, just, same modifiers. I roll 8+2=10. No effect

Oh well, at least there's the disruption now. Now, for a second consecutive US mini-turn, please.

As I have one Spent/Disrupted unit in the forward post I've mostly used, I decide to place the chit on my other flanking out post instead. I decide to go for the kill this time, so I will combine them both for an attack strength of 10+10 against a single platoon with defense of 5. 4:1 odds promise to be good, so lesse here... Luckily for the brave US troopers, I roll a 10, so a Disruption only. I will put a Spent/Disrupted counter on top of the unit (not visible here), while at the end of the mini-turn I get to flip all my German Spent/Disrupted markers over to Disrupted only.

So again, having got the IF phase wrong, I resolve the AR request already now during the Fire Phase. No worries though, they deserve all the pain flying their way!

Scatter? 6. No scatter. Yes. 15:5+2 on Disrupted AB platoon. 6+2=8. Miss by one! D only so the marker remains Spent/Disrupted, but no step losses. MG? 15:4+2, I roll a 7+2=9 now, so another D. At least they are both Spent/Disrupted now!

For I am moving my two full AB pltn next, and moving them for a Close Assault! I move them first, put a CAT marker on them, move the other units within the Op1 range too. Then, before flipping/removing any friendly Spent/Disruptions it is CAT time!

First there's the Reaction Fire phase. CATted hex can RF but only at one attacking hex, which must be attacked agains the full stack. No solo player headache here, as only one hex is attacking this time. Any Spent/Disrupted unit can attack only at their halved rate, and if more than 50% of the units are Disrupted there's a CRT column shift as well. Both rules will apply here.

The German AB stack RFs with (10+6)/2 or with 8, against a defence of 5+5=10. I roll 8, but the range modifier for 0 range gives a -2 for the result, so it is a 6. 5 would have caused a disruption. Close!

Then, the CAT. There's a -3 DRM for a CAT, Engineers would have given a -1 DRM as well, but they are not with me. (11+11):(5+4) =2:1 with +2 for Woods and IP and -3 for CAT. I roll 11-1=10. Whaaat! No rest for the weary...